Freeborn County, Minnesota - Chapter 52, 1882 (part 1 of 2)

Chapter 52

The city of Albert Lea is situated in the township bearing the same name, a full description of which will be found in another chapter. The cityis located in sections eight, nine, sixteen, and seventeen. It is laid out in the usual form, iirrectangular blocks, with alleys, some running north and south and others east and west. Broadway is a north and south street, one liundred feet wide, the others being eighty. Parallel with Broadway, on the east, is Newton, Elizabeth, and Lake; on the west are the avenues, Washington, Jefferson, Madison, Monroe, Adams, Jackson, Taylor, and Lincoln, with Grove and Park as local streets. South of the railroad the streets are numbered, First, Second, etc. Madison and Court are diagonal streets, converging toward the Southern Minnesota depot. Above the railroad are South, Pearl, and Cottage streets, the latter of which runs by the Court House; then Main, William, and Clark, where the first business place was located ; then comes Water and Fountain streets. These are. he the principal streets and avenues and give a general idea of the nomenclature associated with the highways.

Spring lake, which was at first not a repulsive body of water is within the city, but it is under going the process of being filled up, and in due time will exist only as a name and a recollection. Fountain Park, a comparatively late addition to the city, is a symetrical projeotion into Fountain Lake, at a good elevation, and is dotted with fine residences. The buildings in the city are of a good cliaracter, esjjecially those lately con.structed. Like all western cities, it began in a small way, the business blocks and dwelling houses were mere makeshifts, improvised to supply an emergency, except in rare cases. Now there is the ability and taste to supplement the utilitarian aspect of buildings with elegance, which is shown in the improved architectural pretentions.

Albert Lea is a delightful city in which to live; the natural inducements to purchase suburban res idences are here in all their pristine beauty, - a salubrious climate, good society, near schools and churches, and but a few minutes walk from the depot. The environments ond concomitants of the place, are such that we must be excused for dwelling upon them.

The surroundings of Albert Lea are fairer than dreamland. On the southeast is Lake Albert Lea with its waving lines of meadow and woodland ; and on the north is the charming Fountain Lake, with its graceful, wooded slopes, cheerful headlauds, and peaceful bays, halt encircling the town; on the west and lieyond these bright waters, other lakes lie in tha (juiet prairie, Uke islands on the bosom of the sea.

The city, particularly the residence portions, is embowered in a flowery forest, and the very atmosphere of poetry is upon lake and river, woodland and prairie. Picturesque views are surrounded witb overarching trees, embosomed cottages and villas. These placid and unruffled waters are rife with boating, fishing, and of course, love making in the humid summer afternoons and evenings, and no fleet of Venetian gondolas ever bore fairer freightage of beauty, laughter anil song, than the many hued pleasure craft of Fountain Lak^e. As a summer pleasure resort nothing could be more superb.

City Of Albert Lea

here to pass a week or a moutli ; and the augling and shodting leave nothing to be desired. Some take quarters at the hotels, some live in cottages, and others camp out, where the conventionalities of society may be measurably ignored, and communion with nature en joyed without restraint. The people of Albert Lea should make a specialty of entertaining summer visitors, and transform the whole city into a rural boarding house community, where homelike fare and favor could be obtained without the starched formalities of hotel life at the summer resorts.

Around the lake there is a drive, but if the public-spirited citizens would make a boulevard around the entire lake, close to the shore, following the contour of its winding banks, it would be the finest drive between Long Branch and the Golden Gate.

"Albert Lea, a beautiful lake about thirteen miles in length and varying in width from a quarter of a mile to three miles, and situated in Freeborn county, Minnesota, is an attractive body of water to the sportsman. A gentleman, whose name is known to the whole country, and who is a thorough sportsman, writesus some interesting facts from that neighborhood. The elevation being great, the air is pure and the climate healtliy. People seldom die there. A few years ago the lake was stocked with fish, but we are told that the 'Vandals who follow murder for a living, having no perception or appreciation of sjjort, have nearly drained it.' In the winter a hole is cut in the ice, and the fish are speared with a pitchfork and hauled away by the wagon-load. From five to twenty -five tons of pickerel have been taken out of the lake each winter for several years. It is gratifying to learn that the sportsmen of the State have been successful in the effort to have the Legislature pass a stringent law for the preservation of fish and game, and also that they are determined to see the law enforced. In the fall of the year ducks and geese visit Albert Lea in myriads, and it is said that no place on the continent affords better sport. Sandhill cranes cover the prairie and grain fields, and snipe, plover, and curlew are, to use an expressive phrase, -as thick as flies in a country tavern,' and prairie chickens are without number. All this will sound most eloquent to the ear of the sportsman, and doubtless he will dream fond dreams of Albert Lea when he reads this paragraph."

In driving about the various lakes and natural parks, constant surprises are in waiting for those who appreciate nature in her quiet moods. One of the highest authorities as to sporting grounds is the above mentioned journal, and in connection with other pleasant things said about Albert Lea a few years ago, we cull the following:

"Col. S. A. Hatch has returned to the city from his shooting-box on the romantic shores of the lake at Albert Lea, Minnesota. He reports that the duck and geese shooting was never better than this fall. Quite a party of gentlemen from New York gathered at Albert Lea in the last days of September, and remained until the lakes closed on the 29th of October. The majority of them were Wall street magnates, who had shot ducks in various parts of the country, not excepting Maryland and Virginia and the Carolina coast. After a thorough experience they were unanimous in expressing the opinion that they never saw ducks in greater abundance, and of such delicate flavor, as in the bracing altitudes of Minnesota. They voted Albert Lea the center [of the sportsman's paradise. It is just far enough removed from the great hatching district, to become the first feeding-ground of the full-grown birds. And the food is so abundant and of such fine quality, that the ducks fairly burst with fatness when stopped short in their flight by a charge of number sixes. Very large bags of canvas backs, mallards, red heads, and teal, were made every day by each member of the party. The goose shooting was also superb in October. In a small body of water, which the gentlemen christened Lake Kosa, rude blinds were made, and one day a wellknown shot of the party killed six geese, in addition to a large number of red heads and mallards. Any one who has had experience in wild goose shooting, knows how difficult it is to bring the cautious birds to bag, and therefore he will appreciate the skill of the sportsman who captured six in a hunt lasting but a few hours. The sandhill cranes swarmed the prairies, but no effort was made to bring them to bag. We are surprised at this, for there is a charm in crane shooting, which is only heightened by the wariness of the huge birds. The pinnated gronse had packed early in October, and so not much time was wasted on them. When the "chickens'" move in (locks, which number thousands, they will not lie to the dogs, and no pleasure is extracted from the pursuit of them, especially when water fowl swarm liy the million right under your nose. The fishing was very fine this fall in the lakes about Albert Lea. One day shortly after the arrival of the party, Col. Hatch entered the house with a splendid string of pickerel in his hand. "What are those?" asked a well-known New Yorker, his eyes blazing with admiration. "Trout." was the laconic reply. "Good heavens! you don't tell me BO. Why, they are the biggest trout I ever saw. Where did you catch them?" "They came from the lake which you see before you," said Col. Hatch, with a wave of the hand. "And are there any like these left in the lake?" queried the New Yorker, with the deepest interest in his tones. "Plenty of them," said the host. "Then, boys," almost shouted the enthusiastic disciple of Walton, rising from his chair, "no duck shooting for me to-morrow. I shall try my hand at the trout." When the would be fisherman realized that a joke had been played on him, he put on a grave face, and swore that the pickerel bred in the cool and clear waters of Fountain Lake were equal to the best trout ever t.iken from a mountain brook in Virginia, or a Umpid stream in the Adiroudacks. This fish story beats all hollow the little mud-hen narrative which had circulation last year. There seems to be something deceptive in the air of Minnesota. Objects do not always look what they really are. The Storm King swept down from the north earUer than usual this year. On the 29th of October, the ice was an inch and a half thick on the lakes, and the water fowl moved in solid bodies for the South, bringing the shooting to an abrupt close at Albert Lea."

Of course there is no place ia the county, so interwoven with its history from the earliest jjeriod up to the present time as the county seat, and in respect to many points they are identical, and in giving something of the early settlement several items already alluded to, reappear here, in order not to destroy the connection. As to the town, the village or city, little attempt will be made to separate them here, although the town and the city governments will receive individual mention.

Those who first came here resolved to build a town that should become a city, and although their determination was supplemcnt<'d by the natural advantages of the location, it is doing but simple justice to the pioneers to express the opinion that equal energy and determination, displayed almost anywhere else, would have accomplished a like result.

When Mr. Ruble made the proposition to Ly Brand and Thompson to pool their united energies and means, and make St. Nicholas the metropolis of this region, they made a fatal mistake in .spurning the offer, for that city, which so filled their minds as almost to dethrone common sense, now has no shelter, even for the owls and the bats, which are supposed to linger around deserted habitations.

Albert Lea village was platted by Charles C. Colby, and recorded on the 29th of October 1856, in Dodge county, of which it then formed a part. On the 24th of February, 1859, it was duly recorded in the Register's office of this county, and numerous additions have been made since that time, the most important of which will be mentioned.

The first plat recorded had the name of Charles C. Cobly as surveyor. Austin T. Clark, as administrator of Lucius P. Wedge, signed the document. A. Armstrong was the Notary Publie. John Wood was Register of Deeds, and J. E. Bancroft, Deputy Register. William Morin and George S. Ruble were also proprietors.

It seems that a part of the south part of the city has never been platted, that between the Court. House and railroad, but the residents there seem contented and happy.

In the State history the reader will perceive the steps by which this quarter of the world was opened Tip to the Caucasian race, but here we have to record the visit of a single exploring party nearly twenty years before the country began to be actually settled, and this will be done while furnishing a sketch of the life of the Commandant of the expedition, which seems to naturally fit in at this point.

Col. Albert Miller Lea Was born in Richland, Grainger County, Tennessee, on the 23rd of July, 1808. His jjarents were Major Luke Lea and Lavinia Jarnagiu. At thirteen years of age he entered college at Knoxville, Tennessee. In 1827 he received an apppointment at West Point, and graduated the fifth in his class in 1831. He was appointed a Lieutenant in the 13th Artillery but shortly afterwards exchanged positions with the since noted John B. Magruder, of the Seventh Infantry, and was stationed at Fort Gibson, then on the extreme frontier.

From thence he was ordered to Washington, there receiving instructions and orders to report to Knoxville, Tennessee, to survey and plan imjjrovemeuts for the Tenessee River and its tributaries. From this time he passed through the usual variations in army life, being detailed for different duties in several parts of the country, and in 1835, was in Fort DesMoines, Iowa, and there received orders to undertake a summer campaign to the St. Peters, now the Minnesota River.

On the seventh of Jufle, 1835, the march was commenced with three detachments of sixty men each, with Captain Nathan Boone, a son of the Daniel Boone, as guide. The route taken was up the divide between the DesMoines and Mississippi Rivers to Lake Pepin, then the column turned

On this march the trip was made through Freeborn county. As near as can now be traced the column entered the county near the schoolhouse in district No. 30, in the town of Moscow. Proceeding thence in a circuitous route across a portion of Moscow, the southern part of Riceland, northwest corner of Hayward, and into Albert Lea township, striking Albert Lea Lake, which they named Fox Lake, and following up to section six, crossed into Pickerel Lake and lialted for dinner on the banks of White's Lake. This lake was given the name of Lake Chapeau, from its resemblance to that form of a military hat. They then moved southwesterly to Alden and Mansfield, crossing the county line nearithe middle of section nineteen, and continued the march down the DesMoines to the place of starting, now the capital of Iowa.

In the latter part of the winter of 1835^36, Mr. Lea resigned his commission in the army, to take effect June 1st, in the mean time having obtained a leave of absence, which he improved by writing up for publication in book form, a sketch of this expedition, including a map of the country, which was published in Philadelphia by H. S. Tanner. In this book the name Iowa was first applied to the territory now composing the State of that name.

In May, 1830, the Colonel was married to Ellen Shoemaker, of Philadelphia. For a time he was located at the mouth of Pine River, below Rock Island, to survey some lands, which being completed he received the appointment of Chief Engineer of the state of Tennessee, with headquarters at Nashville, arfd for some time he was engaged in prosecuting internal improvements in that State. Soon afterward he was appointed by Martin VanBuren to establish the southern boundary of Iowa, which he did. Aftenvards he was in the employ of the Baltimore & Ohio Railroad company as locating engineer. In March, 1841, he was appointed Chief Clerk in the war department, and in September of that year, upon the resignation of President Harrison's cabinet, he became Secretary of War ad interim, which he held for six weeks.

About this time, as elsewhere recorded, Jean N. Nicollet, a French saBniit, gave to Lake Chapeau the name of Albert Lea, which has since been trausfeired to the larger lake below the city.

In 1844, lie accepted the appointment of Professor of Mathematics in the Eaat TennesseeUniversity at KuDXvillo, which position he lielJ until 1851.

In the meantime, having lost his wife, he married Catherine S. 1). Heath. He then started a new enterprise, the manufacture of glass in Knoxville, which proved a financial failure.

In railroad interests he afterwards went to Texas, and on the breaking out of the war between the two sections of the country, he offered his services to the Confederacy, and served in various capacities. His son Edward, who adhered to the Union cause, was killed at (ialveston, Texas, while acting as chief officer of the steamer Harriet Lane.

In June, 1879, on a special invitation of the municipality, he visited this city and region, and was given a right royal welcome, delivering an interesting address to the Old Settlers" Association. He was profuse in his expressions of astonishment at the change which had been wrought.

While preparing the history a letter was sent to Col. Albert M. Lea, asking if there was anything connected with his journey across the county, or in relation to his last visit here, to which he wished to add, and his brief reply is herewith published :

Dear Sir: Referring to your note of the 9th instant, allow me to say that more honor has been done me by the people of Freeborn county than my transient visit at an early day would seem to merit, and that I do not wish to make my name still more conspicuous in that connection by personal communications in your proposed History or Freeborn County, which you will doubtless till with more interesting matter.

George S. Buble came here in July, 1855, to find a mill site, and after a careful reconnoissauce selected a point at the foot of Lake Albert Lea, where he proposed to build a dam, and by raising the lake a few feet secure a splendid water power. While away for reinforcements, Jacob Lybrand secured that point, and so Mr. Ruble did the next

Mr. Lorenzo Merry, from Cedar River, the man who gave his name to Merry's Ford, in Iowa, was here living in his wagon, which he had hauled here with an ox team; and he soon got up a log cabin on block eight between Clark and Water and Broadway and Washington streets, which of course is to be remembered as the location of the first residence of a white man in Albert Lea City. He went to Walnut Lake and built a hotel, and then to the Red River country. The next house was that of George S. Ruble, on what was called the Island. This may bo described as a double log house, with magnificent proportions for those times, the size being 18x18 and 14x18 feet. This house still stands, but it has been sided up and measurably modernized.

The first mill was on the comer of the lake, south of its present location, a race having lieen cut from that point to the river some rods below; and there it stood and did good service until the 12th of April. 1801, when it was undermined by the freshet, and settled four feet at the upper end. It was never repaired, part of the machinery going to North wood and a part into the new- mill. The building of this mill, which was the nucleus of the village and city of Albert Lea, was commenced on the 29th of October, 1855.

The next residence to go \ip was on block nine, and as an evidence of the metropolitan ideas entertained in those early days by these pushing pioneers, it should be recorded that the next building to go up was a printing office, built by Mr. Ruble, and presented to Swineford and (iray, the first printers to penetrate this region. The next shanty to go up was by Daniel Hard, and Swineferd soon built an office and used the one presented by Ruble as a residence.

Mr. Merry opened the first hotel, although Mr. Ruble, having a house of two rooms, entertained people by the dozen, as his table was an extension one in a certain sense, and his beds were all elastic - that is, there were bunks on three sides of the room.

The Clark building, as- it was called, was erected in 185G. The first building on the spot was Mr. Merry's boading house, wliieh was burned in 1865. It was 14x16 feet, and had a few shelves with some goods.

Citt Of Albert Lea

der extended to a room above, and a trap-door to a hole below. In this room the court would meet, and in a jury case the people would have to be ttirned out of doors, and would listen through the cracks to the unconfined eloquence withii', and know the verdict as soon as it was agreed upon.

The old settlers relate many anecdotes as to the marriages that were jjerformed there; one of them, which is of course told as the first ceremony of the kind in town, if not in the county, and to one who has never looked up such matters, it is astonishing how many of these first events will be discovered. Well, the story is that when the first bridal pair stood up before the 'Squire, and had joined hands, while the crowd, with feverish anxiety, awaited the consummation of their plighted vows, the magistrate nerved himself to the task, with the awful feeling of responsibility resting upon him, and began : "Know all men by these presents", but finding that this did not sound all right, he began again. "To whom it may concern"; this "splurge" created such an impression that he abruptly stopped and called for the statutes or any book that had a marriage form, but on being told that the form was not essential, he ended the ceremony by pronouncing them husband and wife.

On one occasion, a man who lived somewhere near, who had listened to what he considered a powerful discourse, offered publicly to give the minister half a cheese, if he would come over to his house and discuss the matter with "Lucinda," his wife,in whose Biblical knowledge he had the utmost confidence. The Sabbath School Convention at first met here ; but the old building finished its own history in the fall of 1872.

The men who came here to work for Mr. Rubla were: Saxon C.Roberts, Joseph Willford, who was afterward frozn to death in Martin county, Charles F. Warren, H, V. Henderson, A. Ableman, L. C. Roberts, John B, Lenox, John Rion, Ed. Murphy, Arthur Boulton, Edward Henderson, and David Irons.

The pay roll tor these men commenced on the 2d of November, 1855. Of course these men had to be boarded and lodged by Ruble, and Mr. H. Peck used to say that any one coming within forty miles of Albert Lea wouUl swing round here and get a meal at Ruble's.

Francis Hall, whom usage has transformed into Frank Hall, was the next man to come and commence general merchandising, and he has been a prominent and public spirited citizen ever since, being frequently mentioned in this work.

The land on the site of the city was pre-empted by Mr. Ruble on the east of Broadway, and by Mr. Merry on the west of that street. The latter secured 160 acres, 40 of which he sold to T. C. Thorn, who transferred it to William Morin, and he, being an engineer, surveyed and platted it.

At first the lots were sold fron $25 to $100 each, according to location. The fact that there was no exorbitant prices for lots was one of the elements contributing to the success of the town.

In 1857, during the fall, the hard times that prevailed in every section of the country, most seriously affected the growth and prosperity of the place, and a few of the lots east of the town were sold, and to-day that is Ruble's farm.

When Swineford and Gray, the printers, came, Mr. Ruble made arrangements to have a newspaper started at once, and endorsed their paper to Rounds, of Chicago, to secure press and material. In about a year it was sold to Gray, who finally turned it over to Botsford, but a sketch of the paper appears under the proper head.

Mr. Merry's interest was bought out by L. P. Wedge, a non-resident, who sent his relative, A. C. Wedge, to look after the property. L. P. Wedge subsequently died and his widow married Augustus Armstrong.

Charles Kittleson, a young man, came out west to obtain work, and not finding it, as he had no trade, became discouraged and was about to return to Wisconsin when Ruble offered him fifty cents a day to work in the mill, and afterwards he went to work for Frank Hall in his store. Subsequently some one built a saloon for him. which he kept until the war broke out, and then went into the army, in Captain Heath's company. On his return he was elected County Treasurer, and afterwards re-elected, serving ten years; he is now State Treasurer of Minnesota.

A. B. Webber waa a Rejjublican, and among other things he did for the good of the town, waa IjuiKling the Webber House, a part of wliich ia stdl standing unocoupied next to the Cliicago furniture establishment on Broadway. He went into the armj. was in the commissary department, and afterwards moved to Kansas, and thence to California.

The first dance was on that first Christmas eve,, with C. C. Colbj' to fnrnisli the music, and it was an enjoyable alFair. Mr. Colby is now in New York in the music business.

The first child born in town was a daughter of Mr. Walford and his wife Mary, in March, 1856; her name was Louisa. She is married and now lives in Vinton, Iowa.

Mr. Crowfoot started the first blacksmith shop, and in due time others came in, and the town has always been well supplied with iron working artizaus.

The supplies in those times were generally brought from McGregor, Iowa, and the transportation was from two to three dollars for a hundred pounds, depending \i])im the weather to some extent. Sometimes several weeks would be consumed in a trip, as the country was roadless and bridgeleas, and the water in the sloughs would be t<jo deep to ford.

One of the early society events was the marriage by Colonel Eaton, who was a Justice of the Peace, of Mr. Heath, the second Sheriff of the county, to Miss Rice. The ritual employed was a striking improvement ujion Squire Clark's jerkey impromptu. Tlie magistrate's fee was 12.50, in gold. What the Colonel could possibly do with so much gold in those days no one could conjecture.

The story is told of a devout member who had a passion for card playing, and who spent most of his evenings in the saloons, engaged in his favorite game, but he waa quite regular at the prayer meetings, and he would take part in the exercises, not unfrequently interluding his remarks with such expressions as '-at this stage of the game," "go it alone," got euchred," and "playing the best trump," which evidently conveyed quite as mucli meaning as he intended.

village of Albert Lea began to assume acme proportions, and it is a matter of congratulation that it is still growing, the ])resent season having witnessed the erection of some of the finest buildings in town, as residences and for business purposes

As to what became of the men who came to work for Mr. Ruble: E. W. Murphy is one of the leading merchants of Albert Lea; Roberts and hia son Lars went to Kansas; the Hendersons left some years ago; Gtrtler, Ableman and Willfnrd liave climbed the golden stair. Mr. Willford had the genertil management of the gang.

Lorenzo Merry had been on the ground one mcjnth, and the only persons then known to be in the county, according to E. W. Murphy, were Tlieodore Lilly, Charles C. Colby and two sisters, and Charles Wilder and brother, who were all on the west side of the lake; and on the oppo.site side were Chris. Mickleson and family, and Charles Peterson.

In the summer of 185G, the urgent and pressing necessity was felt for an establishmsnt where, to use the characteristic vernacular, the ever festive '-bug juice" might be dispensed, and in resjionse to this demand, a man made liis appearance on the scene and opened a saloon.

When Frank Hall arrived, he made everything lively; as one of the early settlers remarked, "he was a buster," and at once commenced the erection of a fine store. for those times, and opened a first-class assortment of goods, embracing general merchandise in great variety. This was in 1857. A number of years afterward he Imilt the "old brick store," which waa and still is a landmark.

Mr. Wilder, at an early day, opened a small stock of general merchandise and a large stock of whisky, in Hall's old place. At this time the inhabitants of the village were few, but as the tide of emigration in this direction was on the Hood-tide, and the country was fast settling up, the streets presented a busy appearance.

"Squire Clark may be described as an inferior looking man, who had a chronic opthalmia. He had considerable professional pride, and when he was called down to Shell Rock to marry Mr. Andrews senior, and completely broke down, he was a good deal mortified, telling his friends when be returned that he "completely broke down, by gosh!" H. D. Brown was present at that wedding.

At one time there was a man who was on trial for some offense, and he demanded a jury, but the justice decided that he could only have a jury by paying the expenses of such luxury. This startling proposition was shown by tlie counsel for the defense to be contrary to the statutes, but 'Squire Clark stated that he had once so decided, and he did not propose to reverse his own decision, for a Justice in all things should be consistent.

Affairs were not long in assuming form and coherence in the town; men gravitated to their proper level, a subdivision of labor, the true index of civilization, resulted, and to-day there is a thriving and prosperous community.

Necrological

It has been deemed proper to furnish a brief sketch of some of the most prominent men and women who have drifted into that unseen Sea, which is but a step from our present existence, and ultimately swallows every living soul. It is not unlikely that some names 'that should appear here have been omitted, for it is a notable thing to see how soon one is disremembered, who, having joined the endless possession, has passed from mortal view,

Augustus Armstrong. - The thread of his life was snapped asunder on the 18th of August, 1873 at the age of 39 years. He was born in Milan, Ohio, and after the necessary preliminary education, began the study of law in a school in Cincinnati, and after admission to the bar, began practice. In 18.57, he came to this county, where as a lawyer, public officer, private citizen, and legislator, he became identified with the growth and prosperity of the rising State. He was the first County Treasurer and the first district Attorney. In 1865, he was elected to the Legislature, returned the next year, was sent to the Senate in 1867, and again to the House in 1869. He was one of the directors of the Southern Minnesota railroad, and was United States Marshal of Miuuesota. Stricken down in the meridian of his life's journey, Minnesota lost a sou very faithfid, loboring for the good of all. His friends mourned a counselor and his family lost the sun that shone o'er their pathway. He was married on the 10th of October, 1861, to Mrs Mary .1. Wedge. He left two children ; Mary A. and Augustus.

Samuel Batchelder. - A leading citizen of Freeborn county, was born in Topsham, Orange county, Vermont, on the 28th of April 182.5, and after attending the common school went to Norwich University, and there regularly graduated at the age of' twenty years. He then studied law under Judge Underwood and was duly admitted to the bar and entered upon the practice of his profession. Symptoms of pulmonary disease appearing he went to Georgia where his condition was materially improved. He ha,d already been married to Miss Susan P. Taplin who went south with him. In 1850, he went to Kemper Springs, Mississippi, and taught and conducted anAcademy with eminent success. In 1856, he removed to Philadelphia, and leaving his wife there spent the winter of 1856-57 in Minnesota. At first he took a claim near Mr. Dill's but relinquished that and purchased a farm near Itasca, which is still known by his name. The following season he returned to Philadelphia and took charga of Attleborough Academy, about twenty miles from there. In 1861, his wife died, leaving a child .six months old. This little one subsequently died as had two others, also in infancy. Two years later, in 1863, he came here for a permanent residence. In 1867, he was married to Miss Adide Sims of Albert Lea. He was elected Superintendent of Schools for Freeborn county, serving \\ ith rare ability for three years, and in 1869, was chosen County Auditor, a position he occupied with credit to himself until 1877. He built a house in this city, where his estimable widow now lives. He was one of the few early members of the Presbyterian church, and was a ripe scholar, with unusual attainments, being especially efficient in mathematics, Latin, and Greek. His character for honesty, integrity, and perfect reliability, was never questioned. It may be truly said that he was unselfish, true, and firm in his convictions of right. He was sadly missed in the secular and church circles.

office of Judge Hazelton, at Jamestown, Cbautuaqua county. Sometime after the war he came to Alhirt Lea, and went into the office of Augustus Armstrong, and afterwards with Judge Stacy. His death was in June, 1880. He was an honorable man, highly respected, a member of the Masonic fraternity, and of the Presbyterian church.

N. H. Ellickson. - Mr. N. H. Ellick.so'n, of Albert Lea, one of the first settlers of this county, had an extensive acquaintimce, and was well known as a man of ability and learning. He was the editor of the first Norwegian paper printed in thr United States, and for a number of years was coroner of this county. He died February 1st, aged 58 years, and was buried in the cemetery west of this city, where "Life's fitful fever o"er, he sleepeth well."

Mrs. Minerv.\ Blackmek, widow of Dr. Franklin Blackmer, entered this world in Middlebury, Vermont, on the 9th of .Tamiary, 1811. At the age of three years, her parents moved to Chautauqua county, New York, where they were the first settlers. She was left motherless at thirteen years of age, and assumed the care of the younger children. At the age age of twenty she was married to Dr. Blackmer, and five years later went to Ohio and lived in the town of Amherst. In the year 1856, they removed to Minnesota and located in Albert Lea. After living here more than twenty years, the Doctor died, in 1877. Most of her life was spent on the frontier, as she removed three times to the border of civilization to help subdue the wilderness. She was remarkably well fitted for success iu such an arduous life; possessing, as she did, a strong constitution, with an earnest will she endured hardships beyond the ability of many. She was always happy in making others comfortable. Her departure to an unknown frontier was on the 17th of May, 1882.

"After the shower, the givini? sun. Silver stars when the day is done. After the snow the emerald leaves, After the harvest the golden sheaves."

Mhs. Cii.vniTY Fay. - The wife of L. W. Fay, was born in Otterville, Indiana, and came to this county in 1857. The dial of time struck its last hour for her on the 25th of May, 1882. A husband and three children were left to love and remember a beloved wife and mother.

morning, the 11th of Jime, 1876, at three score and eiglit years. She was a native of Norfolk, England; was married to Mr. Rowell in Chelsea, England, int)ctober, 1831. The next year they came to New York, and lived there two years. Then spent eight years in New Orleans and Vicksburg. In 1840 went up the Mississippi as far as Illinois, and lived near Springfield four years; then pushed on up to Wisconsin. In ISSl they came to Kochester, in this State, and in 18()9 came here, where the family became well known. While in New Orleans. Mrs. Rowell had an attack of Yellow fever, from the effects of which she never recovered.

John Uolby. At the age of three score and ten, on the 5th day of June, 1876, he was gathered to his fathers. His nativity dated from the 4th of December, 1806, in the (rreen Mountain State. He was married on the 21st of January, 1829, to Miss Hannah Rowell. In 1835, he removed to Pennsylvania and remained there fifteen years, then came west as far as Wisconsin where he lived six years; then got over on this side of the Mississippi, and pre-empted the farm now in possession of some of the family. He was an honest, upright man, held in great regard by his acquaintances. A wife, one son and seven daughters, all married, survive him. His remains were deposited iu the cemetery on part of the land where he first located.

Mrs. Amanda WoouRrrr came in 1856 with her husband, and found a place in the Burr Oaks in London township, and iu 1857 removed to Albert Lea. She was true to all the instincts of womanhood, and was thus an eminently useful woman. On the 28th of May, 1879, the cares of life were quietly laid down for whatever else may be in store for her.

OiiE O. SiMONsoN died suddenly on the 21st of February, 1881, of Cerebro-spiual Meningitis, while filling the office of Register of Deeds. He was a very conscientious, careful, painstaking, accurate and reliable man, and his lo.ss was deeply felt throughout the county. Suitable resolutions were passed by the county officers in commemoration of his services. He was born in Normandy, was forty years of age at the time of his death, and left a widow and four children.

Albert Lea. He was elected three times as Probate Judge, and held other positions of responsibility. He served in the Fourth Minnesota Regiment, from which he was honorably discharged, and remained a respectable private citizen. He was mustered out of earthly service on the 22d of January, 1879.

Mes. Elizabeth Williams was born in Onondaga county, New York, and at an early day married Mr. Gideon Marlett. They moved west to Elkhart, Indiana, and while there her husband died. She afterwards married Mr. R. Williams at Chillioothe, Illinois, and they came to Albert Lea in 18.57. Mrs. Williams was one of the sis who organized the Congregational church in 1858. Her loss was especially felt in the chuich. Her trials ended on the 18th of June, 1877, at the age of 63 years.

Albert Lea is a commercial city. It is true there are a few manufacturing establishments on a moderate scale, and most of them are mentioned in a brief way. No attempt is made togive a business du'ectory of the city; the changes in this respect are so frequent that a correct list of all the Ijusiness houses might be written to have it very imperfect by the time it gets into print. Among the industrial enterprises may be mentioned the following, which, to save too many heading.?, includes the Post-office and Banks.

Post-office. - The office was opened at an early day, as mentioned in the early history, when there was but the house of Mr. Merry, before Mr. Ruble had got out of his tents, and while the bulk of the inhabitants were his workmen. A petition was drawn up, and all signed it, requesting a Post-office, to be called Albert Lea. It was favorably considered, and Lerenzo Merry was appointed Postmaster. The office was at first in bis house, but when Clark opened his store he was appointed deputy Postmaster. Mr. A. C. S vineford was afterward appointed to the position, while Clark still held his old place until Col. Eaton was appointed deputy, and removed the office to his boot and shoe store, which was on the Hall House block.

boxes and four lock boxes. But a single one was let tor some time, and that was taken by George S. Ruble. Col. Eaton himself was appointed Postmaster in 1861, and continued to keep it for some years. President Johnson appointed D. K. Stacy, Postmaster, and he kept it in his law office. When General Grant became President, the Colo nel was re-appointed, and for a time it was held in a building on the corner of Newton and William streets. In 1870, it was placed in a building put up for the purpose on Broadway. G. Johnstoo was the next Postmaster, appointed in the spring of 1876. Mr. H. A. Hanson received the appointment in November, 1881, and the office was removed to its present location in the Opera House block. It has 730 call boxes and 194 look boxes, and is roomy and convenient.

It 1868 it was made a Money Order office, tha first order sola being dated on the 2d of November. Seven mails are received each day by rail, and a tri-weekly frotn Owatonna by stage. It is rated as a third-class office. S. H. Cady has been the efficient mailing clerk and assistant for eight years. The salary of the Postmaster is |1,600 per annum. The stamps, &c., sold in 1881 amounted to .'$5,053.52; and the money order business, .$38,101.24.

Freeborn County Bank. - Thomas H. Armstrong, President; W. B. Rumsey, Cashier. The correspondents are the Merchants National Bank, at St. Paul; The Security Bank, at Minneapolis; The First National Bank, at Chicago; the American Exchange National Bank, in New York; The Batavian Bank, at LaOrosse; and the First National Bank, in Milwaukee. The deposits average about .f 80,000. This bank was started on the 1st of September, 1874, by the present proprietor.

H. D. Brown fr Co.'s Bank. - This banking house was started in the fall of 1669, by Frank Hall, who at first had the safe in hia store; but he soon built the brick block where the bank now is, on the corner of Broadway and William streets. In the fall of 1871, the business was bought out by H. D. Brown, who was sole proprietor until 1876, when D. R. P. Hibbs became associated with him, and is still interested in the ownership. The correspondents of this bank in the business centers are: First National Bank, Minneapolis; First National Bank, St. Paul; Merchants' Loan and Trust Company, Chicago; Alexander Mitchell's

CiTV Bank. - ^This t)aDkinp; house hegan l)usiness in 1878, on the Ist ot SepteiulHT. (xilbert (Jiilbrandson has been the proprietor from the first; D. W. Dwver is Cashier, and it does a general banking business, having depo.sits to the extent of 870.000. The banks with which it transacts business are: Dawson, Smith A- Shatl'er, St. Paul; The Merchants' National, Chicago; Marshall & Ilslev, Milwaukee; and American Exchange National, New York.

Aldkut Le.\ FiiOUBiNG Mill. - This is the only flouring mill in town: it has two run of stones and can grind 125 bushels in ten hours. For power it has Fountain Lake, which may be said to be the headwaters of Shell Kock River, and this is communicated by two turbine wheels, with ten and fifteen hor.'je ]iowcr respectively. In addition to this there is a steam engine of forty horse-power, manufactured by A. P. Allis, of Milwaukee. A. M. Avery has managed the mill for the past three years. It does custom work.

During the summer of 1882 a f<'ed-mill was added, to be driven by an improved vertical windmill^n which the wind is admitted through slats,- to operate upon a drum with liuckets not unlike a turbine wheel. This mill is identified with the early history of the town, and is owned at this time jointly by Mr. Ruble and Mr. Hall.

Spring Lakf. Creameky. - This establishment is owned and operated by a joint stock company, with a capital of SIO.OOO, and is located at the foot of Broadway, near the lake. Some of the leading business men in the city are interested in the enterprise. The stockholders were .John (rodley, Frank Hall, F. A. Blackmer, A. C. Wedge, J. W. Smith, Knatvold Brotlicr.s, E. S. Prentice, H. A. Colburn, Theodore Tyrer, D. R. P. Hibbs, H. D. Brown, W. P. Sergeant, and William Hazleton.

The business was started on Tuesday the 11th of May, 1881, with cream from 200 cows, although 1,000 had been promised. During the first year the number ot cows having increased, the average make was between seven and eight hundred pounds a day.

shall be set by the farmers, in cans of certain size, and the price paid is fifteen cents or more an inch for cream, which is e(|uivaleut to a pound of butter. The l)usiness being new the farmers are only beginning to learn how to get the best results from their cows; one very desirable point being to lengthen the season as far as possible, and to do this, catttle should be started early on green feed, which is inexpensively accomplished by sowing rye in the fall, to put them on early; and the fall which is apt to be dry should be lengthened out by sowing corn fodder to the extent of one fourth of an acre for each cow.

Rules Of The Albert Lea Creamery Company

"The following rules have been adopted by the Albert Lea Creamery Company, to keep U]) the high standard of the butter ot their manufacture. They are the same as have been adopted by the creameries of Iowa, and have resulted in placing that State at the head of the butter manufacturing interests of the country. These rules will be strictly adhered to:

1. Any patron found selling nfilk from an unhealthy cow, or from cows still feverish from calving, will be dropped and tlie case reported to the civil authorities.

C1T7 Of Albert Lisa

7. Cream from milk standing in low temperature is thin and will not hold out. Such cream will not be taken unless the proper reduction be made. The proper temperature for milk to stand in is from 50 to 60 degress, and to make honest cream; milk should stand from fourteen to twentyfour hours in summer, and from twenty -four to thirty -six in the winter before skimming.

10. Milk must stand at least ten hours after straining before the cream can skimmed and then be determined by the collector whether it is in condition to skim or not.

11. It is distinctly understood by all that the word inch is used as the equivalent of a pound or half pound of butter, according to the size of the can, and the creameries reserve the right to pay any patrou for the number of pounds his cream will make.

12. Patrons are required to notify their creameries at once of any neglect of the collectors, or any failure on their part to conform with the above rules.

Armstrong's elevator, which is 30x.50 feet, two stories, and will hold -t.OOO bushels. It is owned and operated by'T. H. Armstrong. In 1870 this was erected by the farmers of the county, as a company, and managed by them for about tour years, when it was sold to the present owner, who put in a two horse-power engine. It is managed by John Heising, who purchases grain and hides.

William W. Cargill put uj) a small warehouse on the completion of the Southern Minnesota railroad to this point. This building collapsed some time after, and he put up the present building, which has a capacity of about 15,000 bushels and an eight horse-power engine. The firm is now Cargill Brothers, who are large buyers all all along the line, and deal in grain, hogs and hides.

Another ware-house was built just before the railroad was completed, by Bassett and Huntingdon. It is a frame building, and is now simply used as a storehouse for oats and corn by Cargill Brothers,

Vining, Calkins & Co. put up a small warehouse and used it but a few years. They had an engine, the power from which was used mostly in cleaning grain. It would hold about 8,000 bushels; it is owned by L. F.Hodges & Co. and is now laying idle.

An elevator with a capacity of 30,000 bushels was put up by Henry Kowell in 1876. He owned and operated it for about three years, when it was disposed of to Cargill Brothers, who took it to Sherman and it has since been burned. It had a ten horse-power engine.

In 1877, Sergeant and Skinner built an elevator at a cost of .^7,500. It is a frame building, with a capacity of about 35,000 bushels, and is operated with an eight horse-power engine. In 1870 Mr. Sargent's interest was purchased by H. D. Brown, amd the firm is now Brown & Skinner, who buy wheat only.

Kimmer & Lamb put up that same season a small ware-house at-a cost of $500. This was at first rented by Todd & Co., but is now owned by that firm.

The Albert Lea Board of Trade built a onestory ware-house in 1881, and began the purchase of wheat. It is now used as a store-house by Ransom Brothers.

Olson & Anderson, Waoon-makebs and General Blacksmithing. - This establishment has been in operation since 1869, with Martin Olson as a member of the firm. The shop is on Clark Street. At first general blacksmithing business only was done, but in 1879, the manufacture of wagons and buggies was commenced. In 1882 the firm put in a small steam engine of sis horse-power. They do considerable plow repairing and other like kinds of work.

Bistort Of Frekbohx Couxty

G. A. Hauoe & C. Christopherson manufacture wagons and rej)air plows. They also manufacture C. D. Edwards Ditchers, whi 'li cuts a ditch two and one half feet wida and three and one half deep. The power is conveyed by a capstan turned by horses or oxen, and it seems to be a valuable device for the purpose of excavating drainage ditches. Mr. Hauge purchased the establishment in 1875. About seven hnud.s are employed. The shop is a large brick building on Washington street, near Spring Lake, and has a horse-power to drive some of the machinery. Such an establishment is of great value in the mitlst of an agricultural community.

Albert Lea Carriaoe Shop. - Charles Drommerhausen is the proprietor, having started the business in 1866, on the comer of Newton and William streets, in a blacksmith shop, where he did repairing and made a few wagons and sleighs. In 1868, he moved to Clark street and built the shop he still occupies, and after a time commenced the manufacture of carriages aud a variety of light wagons. The establishment has three buildings and quite an extensive business.

Waoon, Carriage, and Blacksmith Shop, Joseph Peffer, Proprietor. - This wagon shop was started in 1869, and work continued in it until 1878, when a blacksmith shop was added. General repairing, blacksmithing. horse shoeing, and wagon making is carried on, employing four men.

A Waoon Shop was opened by Brown & Pratt, in 1867, and after changing hands several times it was bought by A. .7. Balcli. who added blacksmithing and kept it in operation until August, 1882, when it passed into the hands of F. W. Balch and M. C. Larson. They do general repairing and horse shoeing.

Boat Buildino. - In 1865, Mr. C. V. Marlett built a shop in which to construct boats. It is still in operation by Mr. Marlett, who also does general repairing.

The city is uot noted as a manufacturing place, but it is predicted that in the near future more attention will h^ paid to the subject : for manufacturing, especially of articles having a general sale, serves as a kind of business balance wheel to steady atlairs during crop shortages or other local

CioAR Mantfaitort. - Thomas J. Wanek began manufacturing cigars on the 6th of April, 1878. Cigar manufacturers are still amenable to the revenue tax, started during the war of 1861. The license to start with is SIO per year, and then a stamp tax of ^l> per thousand must be affixed to all that are made. About thirty-five or forty thousand are \nit up each month. Among the various brands made are the "Select." "Henry Clay," "Evening Star,'" '-Happy Dream." '-Protector,'" "Magic Slipper," -'Shade.'" and "La Montana."

Merchandising. - Albert Lea is the trading point for the whole county, for while there are some gjod stores in the townships, the bulk of the trade is done at the county seat. Here may be found grocery stores, dry goods, hardware, agricultural implements, furniture, drugs and medicines, clothing, millinery, fancy goods, and in fact, all the usual variety of articles reiiuired by the present stage of civilization.

Lager Beer Warehouses. - C. and J. Michels have a refrigerating storehouse for their LaCrosse beer. It holds perhaps two hundred barrels, and is stored here to be shipped northwest and south, about a car-load a week being disposed of. Mr. T. Blacklin is the agent at this point.

John (ri'xD Brewing Company has a refrigerating warehouse at the depot, which holds about two hundred barrels of lager beer. It is sold along the line of road to the extent of about three car-loads every two weeks. O. Knudsen is the manager at Albert Lea.

It may be remarked that the growth of the lagfr beer business has been rather marked, and when we remember that the Anglo-Saxon race is a drinking race, as is also the Scandinavian and the Celtic race, theu- favorite beverage being spirits, the change in favor of malt liquor is noticeable. What is to be the outcome is a matter that the political and social scieutlsts may speculate upon, as the question is not yet decided whether the use of malt liquor, in contradistinction to spirituous, is really a guard against drunkenness.

since been run as a hotel. A man named Foster was the first landlord, but after a year or two Mr. Hall assumed charge, and has conducted it ever since. It is a three-story brick, has 33 guest rooms, is near the central part of the city, and has the reputation of being a good hotel.

Gilbert House. - This building was erected by Morin, Armstrong, and others, in 1868, for a cheese factory, and run as such a couple of seasons. S. S. Sutton, in the meantime, had come into possession of the property and converted it into a hotel, known as the Lake House. After a year or so it was sold to Warren Gilbert, who is still the owner. The next lessees were Gardner & Hunter, who run it a few years when a dissolution of partnership occurred, the latter continuing as proprietor about one year longer. During this time it had been changed to the Gardner House. The present proprietor, John B. Foote, leased the premises in 1879, and since then the capacity of the house has been doubled, and the standard raised so that it now ranks among the best hotels of the city. Seventy-five guests can be comfortably accommodated at this hotel.

La CrosseHouse. - This was built by the present proprietor, L. Gentrich, in 1877. It is a two-story frame, and can accommodate about twenty guests. It is located on Clark street, west of Broadway.

City Hotel. - In 1867, William Fenholt erected this hostlery, and still continues its management. It is a two story frame house, and can accommodate about thirty guests. It is located on Clark street, east of Broadway.

National Hodse. - This was built in 1875 by Andrew Rolfson, who conducted it until the first of September, 1882, wLen H. A. Orandall became proprietor. It is a two story frame house, situated on East Clark street, and can accommodate about thirty-five guests.

WiNSLOW House. - This house was built at the station of the Minneapolis & St. Louis railroad, on the completion of that line to Albert Lea, in 1878. It was run by Mr. Bunker until 1882, and has since been conducted by Frank Hall. It is a two story brick, and contains twenty-six rooms.

Albert Lea HonsE. - This sign appears on the the outside of a white frame house, nearly oppothe Winslow House, but as the proprietor did not possess sufficient courtesy to answer the few civil

There is a hotel and boarding house near the depot on the Southern Minnesota railroad, kept by Mr. Brandon. It is a neat and home-like place, and gives good satisfaction to its patrons.

City Government

In the winter of 1878, the city charter was granted by the State Legislature, in obedience to a numerously signed petition of the tax-payers of the village. And having been accepted by a vote , of tbe people, on the 12th day of May, 1878, the city government was organized, the first officers being: Mayor, Frank Hall; Board of Aldermen, W. P. Sergeant, President, J. W. Smith, R. E. Johnson, John F. Anderson, and E. D. Porter, two from each ward; Clerk, Fred. S. Lincoln.

The city Justices were required to furnish bonds for the faithful discharge of their duties in the sum of 11,000 each. Tbe City Treasurer for $5,000. The license for the sale of beer was fixed at $100, and both malt and spirituous liquors at f250.

The city Assessor's bonds were fixed at .$500; the city Attorney's, $500, and various committees were appointed. At a subsequent meeting the order of business was established.

in motion and run with little friction considering its newness, and the fiuanci.il condition at the end of the year presented a good showing, as the expenditures had not been extravagant, and there was a small bahince in the treasury. The exhibit was as follows: i879. - The election was on the 5th of May. There were two candidates for Mayor, H, D. Brown and W. P. Sergeant. Mr. Brown was elected by seven majority, and the otBoers tliis year were: Mayor, H. D. Brown: .Mdermen, W. P. Sergeant, President, Thomas H. Armstrong. Elland Erickson, J. W. Smith, William Fenholt, and John H. Anderson; Clerk, John Anderson; Attorney, K. M. Palmer; Assessor, D. X. Gates; Street Commissioner, E. D. Porter; Chief of Police, Reabeh Williams; City Surveyor, William Morin.

Liquor licenses were fixed at .SlOU, and the one hundred dollar licenses for selling malt liquors were discontinued. The license for a brewery was fixed at .'$200 a year.

On the 27th of June it was voted to purchase a La France Steam fire engine at a cost of 82,800. This was done after careful investigation. The question as to the location of an engine house was one of the problems the Council had to wrestle with. Several lots were offered, and finally two were accepted which were presented by William Morin and Thomas H. Armstrong. On the 2r)th of August the engine arrived, and after examination and testing, it was declared satisfactory.

An ordinance, passed to prevent the obstruction of certain streets by forbidding the feeding of teems on them, was vetoed by the Mayor on account of its improver discriminations and because the streets were made for use, and the prosperity of the city largely depended upon the trade brought by the persons who would be thus incommoded.

1880.^ - The officers this year were: Mayor. R. C. VanVechten, who received 358 votes out of 390; Treasurer, N. H. Shaugh, who received 393 votes: Justice of the Peace, E C Stacy, wlio received 391votes, and H A Haukness; Aldermen, Wm Morin chairman, O. F. Nelson, J. A. Anderson, with those liolding over; Clerk, John Auder.son; Street Commissioner, E. D. Porter; Treasurer, W. A. Higgins; Chief of police, E. D. Patrick; City Engineer, A. Motzfeldt.

Some of the salaries were fixed as follows: Chief of Police, S4") a month, and the night watch man S35. The clerk S2.')0 a year; Street Commissioner $2 a day for actual work; Engineer of steam fire engine, S150 a^, year, and the fireman S60 a year; the city engineer $100 a year.

The public drive around the lake was made in the summer of 1880. The right of way was conveyed by Theodore Tyrer, of Albert Lea, and Washington Lee, of New York, who materially assisted in doing the work. The city gave S269, and received a deed of the property.

In October, the Spring Lake having become so filled as to be" obnoxious, exhaling foul emanations, five physicians, A. C. Wedge, M. E. Woodbury. W. H. Smith, G. W. Barch, and M. M. Dodge, presented a petition to the council as to the effects upon the sanitary condition"of the city, and recommended that it be filled or drained. Their prayer was supplemented by another from Frank Hall and seventy-one other citizens, and the machinery was set in motion to have it drained and filled.

On the loth of March, a board of health was established, with Dr. A. M. Burnham, the Mayor, and presideut of council, as members. J. H. Parker was appointed City Attorney for the balance of the year

1881. - The new government was organized on the 3rd of May. The Mayor was Frank Hall. The board of alder nen were: John A. Anderson, President, O. F. Nelson, M. P. Sergeant, Thomas H. Armstrong, William Morin, and Willam Fenholt; Clerk, .John Anderson; Assessor, A. W. White; Treasurer, B. H. Skaug; Sinking Fund Commissioner, D. G. Parker; City Attorney, J. H. Parker; Health Officers, A. M. Burnham. M. D., John A. Anderson, and Frank Hall.

Tlie city, on the question of "License" or "No License,"' voted aye, and thi parchment conferring rights this respect was fixed at -'i!400.*

The Secretary of the State Board of Health, Charles N. Hewitt, inspected Spring Lake, and re])i)rted what should 1 e done in the interest of the sanitary coudition of the city, and his suggesprice fixed for a Old privileges in

1882. - There was what is called a dead-lock in the Board of Aldermen. It lieing understood that there was an eqnal division of parties, and as the President has no vote, except in case of a tie, a compromise was effected by the appointment of a President pro tein.

According to the index, there are eighty-two subjects for town ordinances, which are included in thirty-five separate acts. These regulations embrace the matters usually legislated upon by local authorities, and while in such cases there is a constant interference with individual freedom, of course upon the plea of the public good, this has not been of an umisnal character, and honesty and economy have been the prevailing traits in the administi'ation of city affairs.

Herewith is presented an abstract of the report of the City Clerk and Treasurer for the year ending on the 15th of April, 1882, which will be useful for reference or comparison:

General Balance Sheet

Gentlemen: - Pursuant to section 6, chapter 3, of the charter of the city of Albert Lea, I herewith transmit to you a statement ot all monies received as City Treasurer, and all orders paid on the same.

Personal Taxes In Albert Lea

The following table shows the value of improvements that have been made in Albert Lea since the year 1869, the smallest being in the year 1873, and the largest in 1878 :

On the 18th of July, 1879, a public meeting was held for the purpose of organizing a fire company. Eev. J. R. Chalmers was chosen chairman, and J. K. Richards secretary. An organization was etfected, with the subjoined officers : Chief, James Allen; Assistant, Ans. Peck; Chief of Hose, Charles Soth; Assistant, J. J. Bond ; Treasurer, N. O. Narveson; Secretary, J.K.Richards. At this meeting a committee to draft a constitutian was appointed.

This is an efficient organization, supplied with modern apparatus. The officers for 1882 are: Chief Engineer, William P. Sergeant; First Assistant, J. J. Bond; Second Assistant, E. W. Murphy; Foreman, James Allen; Assistant Foreman, M. C. Mitchell; Hose Foreman, E. H. Ellick- 'son; Assistant, George Pratt; Secretary, Adam Wiegard; Treasurer, N. O. Narveson; Engineer, George Rutam; Second Engineer, A. Peck; First Fireman, Thomas Carney; Second Fireman, Andrew Peterson ; Finance Committee, H. O. Brager, A. M. Anderson; Steward, Axle Brundin.

The city officers for the year ending in May 1883, are as follows; Mayor, Dr. C. W. Ballard; Treasurer, N. O. Narveson; Assessor, Aug. Peterson ; Justices of the Peace, E. C. Stacy and H. O. Haukuess; Aldermen:

Freeboen County Standard. - This paper was first issued on the 11th of July, 1857, by Swineford & Gray, under the name of the Minnesota Star." It was a Democrat paper and, it la said, was encouraged by the Damocratic Central Committee, to the extent of S500 in cash, and many citizens took ten copies, subscribing for them at the rate of .$2 a year in advance, but it soon fell the victim of one of those diseases incident to juvenile newspaperdom, and which are so fatal. The press on which it had been printed, after laying idle some months, was sold under a foreclosure, to satisfy a mortgage held by G. S. Ruble, and was bid in by him, who afterwards sold it to Alf. P. Swineford, one of the former proprietors. Mr. Swineford then commenced the publication of the "Freeborn County Eagle."

This paper commenced on the 11th of September, 1858, and went on as a Democratic paper until the 26th of February, 1850, when the publishers retired and Isaac Botsford took the supervision, and from that time it was Republican. On the 19th of May, 1860, the Eagle made its last flight, and George S. Ruble, who held the greatest interest in the establishment, associated with him Joseph Hooker, and on the 20th of the same month came out with the Freeborn County Standard.

This firm had an experience of just twentythree weeks, when the office was sold at a great discount to A. D. Clark, who on the 21st of October, 1860, assumed the editorial chair and began to use the royal pronoun "we", until the 25th of July, 1861, when he divested himself of the editorial harness, and sold to A. B. Webber.

This gentleman kept distributing ink up to the 10th of October, when the concern passed into the hands of J. 0. Ross, who conducted the paper up to the 20th of February, 1862, when he sold to William Morin and enlisted in the army. Mr. Morin kept the paper going until the 4th of July, 1864, and then his foreman and compositors leaving for the war, the paper was suspended.

In April, 1878, George T. Robinson bought out Mr. Botsford's interest, and in May of that year W. W. Williams bought out D. G. Parker, and in February, 1879, T. W. Drake purchased Mr. Robinson's part of the establishment.

Bancboft Banner. - This was one of those county seat papers which, having failed in the object for which it was issued, there was no further necessity for its existence, and so died a natural death. But Mr. Bleakely, who had brought it into existence, tells the story in such an admirable way, that it would be a pity to mar its beauty, so the reader is referred to the extract from his speech before the Old Settlers' Association.

The Albert Lea Enterphise - This is a weekly repuljlicau newspaper, which first appeared on th 25th of April, 1872, with James 0. Hamlin, of Mason City, Iowa, as publisher. It was an eight column folio. At the end of a year, S. H. Cady, of Wisconsin, came and brought a job printing outfit, and the paper then appeared as published by the Enterprise Printing Company. On the 25th of September, 1873, Mr. Hamlin sold his interest to Mr. Cady, and on the 2d of October the paper came out with S. H. Cady as sole proprietor. Thus it remained until the winter of 1874-75, when Fred Cochrane became editor of the sheet. On the 26th of August, 1875, the establishment was purchased by the present proprietor, M. Halversou, who has been the sole owner, except in the spring of 1881, when' an interest in the concern was sold to F. D. Pierce and A. E. EUickson, who retained a share in the paper for nine mouths, until the present time.

In the spring of 1870, the paper was enlarged to a SIX column quarto. It is on a sound financial basis, with a local habitation, and a circulation of 1,000 copies. There is a Babcock & Cottrell power press, with three job presses, knife pajjer cutter, 125 fonts of type, and in all respects a well appointed ottice. When purchased by Mr. Halverson the paper had a circulation of 400. At present the press work of the other papers is done in this office. The building is 20x50 feet, of brick.

The Albert Lea Postbn was first issued on the 5th of July, 1882, by the Albert Lea Publishing Company, the officers of which are: H. Erickson, President; H. G. Emmons, Vice-President; J. P. Gnnager, Secretary; H. O. Haukness, Treasurer and general manager; and O. J. Hagen, Editor. It is a seven column folio, printed in

This paper is the successor of tlie "Sanverke," of which N. Nelson was editor, published by the same company. Before this there was the "Sondre Minnesota," by Peterson, Anderson, and Motezfeldt, and then there was the 'North Star," by Jac. Elleston, and T. T. Pierce.

There have been several other papers in the city and county, which have had an existence more or less brief, and have passed away from inanition or some other disease' Some of them were precocious, and could not have been reasonably expected to live and thrive in this bleak and inhospitable world.

Among the various buds of promise may be mentioned the "Will of the Wisp," which launched upon the troubled sea of existence, breasted the waves for three months, and sunk forever beneath its waters. T. T. Pierce was at the helm of this well managed sheet.

The High Sohool Journal was a sprightly, well behaved little entity, managed by W. W. Parker, Jerry Sheehan, and Willie Crane, high school students, and during the four months it survived was a credit to all concerned.

The Freeborn Springs Herald. - This was a campaign sheet, evolved by the county seat contest in the interest of Itasca, where it was published, and Dr. Burnham was the Visa tergo that furnished the power. Isaac Botstord was the editor and proprietor, and it was a battle ax worthy of a more successful cause. For thirteen weeks the friction of its presence filled the air with electricity so that a good many heads of hair stood on end imtil after the election. The octagon from which it issued still stands, but the jiaper itself is a mere recollection.

During the county seat contest there was considerable fierceness between the rival sheets, and each one, of course, estimated the value of its utterances in moulding public opinion quite as high as they would bring in open market, and the Itasca concern, as was claimed at the time, sent a young man down, who purloined the "toggle joint" of the Albert Lea press, hoping thus to prevent the issue of its hated rival until the election was over, but Kublo and the boys were equal to the emergency, and did not propose to let a little thing like that prevent the regular appearance of the paper. So they procured a long scantling for a lever, and, letting one end project out of the door, the form was run under the platen, when a man outside would heave down, and take the impression. Mr. F. W. Drake was a young man in the office at the time, and helped to work off the edition.

This association is in the interests of the syrup and sugar manufacture, and the raising of cane generally. Considerable attention has been paid to the cultivation of the amber cane, and there are quite a number of mills and evaporating pans, where small amounts of syrup are made. A mill was started a few years ago to manufacture on quite a liberal scale, but jt was this season removed into the country. The President of the association is H. N. Oatrander; Secretary, George H. Prescott.

After a preliminary meeting an organization was effected at the Court House, on the afternoon of the 30th of September, 1882. A constitution was adopted, and the following officers elected: President, George S. Kuble; Vice Presidents, A. C. Wedge, T. J. Sheehan, and N. P. Howe; Treasurer, L. B. Spicer; Secretary, C. W. Levens.

The Great Albert Lea Route

The Minneapolis & St. Louis railroad was completed to this point on the 10th of September, 1877. It makes a through route between the twin cities and Chicago, over the Burlington, Cedar Eapids & Northern, and the Eock Island & Pacific, railroads. The line to St. Louis is over the same line to Burlington, and then over the Chicago, Burlington & Quiucy road. These lines are called the "Great Albert Lea Route," which receives a large patronage. At this station there are, including the eight passenger trains, about forty arrivals each twenty-four hours.

An account of the celebration of the arrival of the first train on this route, is given in the chapter on "Events," and need not be repeated here.

Although the difficulties of railroad building, when this road was constructed, were as nothing compared to those attending the construction and equipment of the Southern Blinuesota, it must not be supposed that it did not require the highest order of talent and energy, and a liberal exchequer, to get them into running order.

Educational

The first district school established in Albert Lea was number seven, which was soon after the organization of the county. Before this, bowever, there had been private schools, which are elsewhere mentioned. The first appropriation was in the form of a district tax to the amount of $400. Theschoolhousebuiltwith that money lasted several years, and then another was built which stijl stands in the corner of the school grounds, which occupy a square west of the public square on Clark street. Messrs. Stacy, Tyrer, and Wedge were on the board when it was built, and Mr. I. J. Fuller, of Oconomowoc, furnished the plans.

On the organization of the district system in 1860, this became the Thirty-eighth, and so continued until the winter of 1881, when an independent district was created by a special act of the Legislature, and the present fine schoolhouse was erected. Messrs. D. R. P. Hibbs, D. N. Gates^ and W. P. Sergeant constituted the school board. The plans were furnished by Mr. Jones, of Madison, Wisconsin. The cost of the building, which is of brick, modern in style and well adapted for school purposes, was $20,000, and it was completed on the 1st of January, 1881.

The school system of the county has been fostered here, as it has been aU over the country, by "Teachers' Institutes," which, in addition to the knowledge as. to the science of school teaching imparted, serve to create and sustain the esprit du corps, which is so important in this profession. There have been other schools of a graded character, which did good work, but they are in existence no longer, and the energies of the friends of education are concentrated upon the public schools.

When the new schoolhtuise was ready for occupancy, there were some formalities attending the tearing away from the old building, and among the other good things said was a poem by Miss

Farewell To The Old School Hofse

an old frieml, tried and true, We change for one unknown and new. It seems hut meet to leave liehind A tear for the old one. true and kind- Ten years ago last gonehy spring. When Howers were in bloom and birds on wing. I entered first this public school, (For, happily, 'twas free to wit or f^tol.) The house then stood upon a spot, Kemotc from flower, or tree, or cot; Ju»t here in front of the "Public Squa'e." With plenty of gravel, acddirt, and air. But 'twas not liuilt in the ancient way. As was the Deanon's One Hoss Shay - "To last a hundred years to a day" - tor the builders thout;ht it "wtmldn't pay," Soon the ccilinj; cracked, and then it fell And dropped on our heads and laps - pell mell. And then the windows would rattle and shake. And the flo«»r beneath would tn-mble and quake. Ana in and out all through its walls. In cl-isets and entries, and rooms and halls, The wind would whistle and rush and roar, And e'en come up through the cracks in the floor. In vain we've punched and knocked and poked. But still the old stove has smoked and smoked; And many an hour have we stood and bat. With wrap and shawl and cloak and hat, While tears adown our cheeks would flow - But not the tears of grief and woe. But perhaps by these we'll value more The comforts that now for us are in store! And everj thing else in this old room - From our teacher there to - even the broom, Has so long been subject to wear and tear They do with each other, most fitly compare. But the end has come. Let us take our last view Ere the old and the dear we change for the new, For so long they've been with us and each is so old, Places, like living friends, in our hearts they hold, Many a year before us has stood Numbering the hours for bad or good. The big old clock, with its tick, tick tick. Keeping time to the pencils' click, click, click. Full many an hour with listless look. The idler has sat with eyes off his book, With many a groan and many a sigh. Watching how slowly the hours went by. Upon the wall, with a deep, dark frown. Our "country's hero" has long looked down. Inciting us to strive for a st.ition. Equal to his in affairs of the nation. Thougli none may trea<l the senate halj. Yet each of us will heed some call; And we'll all look back now and then with a sigh. To the happy hours that here passed by. Before the stove is the low front seat. With little of room and much of heat. Where the wicked have gi)t (I've heard some say.) A taste of the heat of a future day. We can never forget, though far away. The old green curtains that, day after day, Have hung at the windows, slit and torn- Of all their former beauty shorn. And ever ''green," in memory, will stand The old ink keg, with bright red band; And ne'er to ) e erased from (»ur minds - or the floor Is that beautiful ink spot we made there of yore;

Ah to the present condition of the schools in the citj. a reference to the returns of the work done shows that thej are in a healthy contlition. and in competent hands.

From the first annual report of Prof. J. C. Ailing, the Principal and Su])erintendent of the schools of Albert Lea, which includes the school year ending on the Ist of July, 1882, the following statistics are gathered:

City Of Albekt Lea High School

At the commencement exercises, in .June, a wide range ot subjects was embraced, and those having parts acquitted themselves in a very creditable manner.

The Pbesbytbbian Chtjboh op Albeet Lea. - It must have been in April, 1857, when Eev. S. G. Lowry visited this place, and he, in connection with Kev. Isaac McReynokls, a Methodist clergyman, who still lives in the county, were the first to break the bread of the word to the people in this region. For three years Mr. Lowry continued to hold meetings from time to time, but finally his health failed, and Rev. Mr. Cook, a Congregational minister, of Austin, visited the town and was invited to preach, and the result was that a church was organized under the Congregational form, with six members, three ot whom had been Presbyterians, and three Congregationalists. This church, which was maintained in this form until the autumn of 1868. is alluded to under its own heading.

At the Fall meeting of the Presbytery of Southern Minnesota, Old School, a petition was presented, subscribed to by the members of the Congregational Church in Albert Lea, and a few other persons, requesting the organization of a Presbyterian Church. The petitioners were eighteen in number, all expressing a desire to become members. In response to this petition, the Presbytery appointed Rev. D. C. Lyon and Rev. A. J. Stead a committee to meet the petitioners, and, if the way should be clear, organize the church. Accordingly, on the 29th ot September, 1868, these brethren held a meeting for this purpose in the Court House in Albert Lea. Rev. S. G. Lowry and Rev. Theophus Lowry, of the Presbytery of Mankato, New School, were present by invitation, and assisted in the proceedings. The Church was then formally organized, under the name of the First Presbyterian Cburch ot Albert Lea, with the following members: Benjamin Brownsill, Mrs. Elizabeth Brownsill, Curtis B. Kellar, Samuel Eaton, Mrs. Clarissa Eaton, Mrs. S. M. Robinson, Mrs. Eliza Hunt, Mrs. Harriet J. Barden, Mrs. Mary F. Armstrong, Samuel Thompson, Mrs. Amanda Woodruff, Mrs. Darrow, Mrs Henrietta Ruble, Mrs. C. E. Sheehan, Thomas Sherwood, Clarence Wedge, Mrs. Mary Buell, Samuel Batchelder, and Wm. J. Squier - 19. Samuel Batchelder, Samuel Eaton, and Curtis B. Kellar, were elected Ruling Elders, to serve respectively one, two, and three years. A public service was held in the evening; a sermon was preached by Rev. A. J. Stead, and the elders were ordained - the charge to them was given by Rev. Theophus Lowry. Brief addresses were made by Rev. 8. G. Lowry and Rev. I). C. Lyon, and the meeting was dismissed with the Apostolic benediction.

Thus the former Congregational Church of this place was, by the unanimous choice and action of its own members, merged into the Presbyterian Church; and they, with a few others received at the time, constituted the original membership of the present organization.

Rev. Dr. W. M. Paxton, of the First Presbyterian Church of New York City, was here during that summer, on his vacation, and conceived a lively interest in the people and the church, going so far as to offer to build a church, if the people desired it and would contribute what they were able. This proposition was accepted by the people, and the Congregationalists considered that it was the best they could do, under the circumstances, as it involved no sacrifice of any article of belief: the real difference in the two denominations being in their form of church government. In this way, then, the Presbyterian church in Albert Lea came into existence, and was organized as above recorded.

They at once commenced to Ijnikl, and before the following winter had fairly set in, this house was raised and enclosed. It was completed the following summer, and was dedicated to the worship of God <m the 15th day of August, 1869. The Presbytery of Southern Minnesota was in session here at that time, and the dedicatory sermon was priached Ijy Dr. Paxtou. from Matt. 26;8. "To What Pi'Upose is This Waste ?" The success of the entetpri.se was largely owing to the liberality and energy of one who has since gone to his rest. Augusitus Armstrong, who, though not a communicant, was nevertheless one of the wisest in council and tlie most elTicient in executing all that was needful to the establishment of the church. While he lived he manifested a lively interest in the growth of the church, spiritual as well as material ; and was always to the minister a prudent and safe adviser.

Along with the names of Dr. Paxton and Mr. Armstrong, lionoraI)le and grateful mention must be made of Miss Mary Gelston, a member of Dr. Paxton's church, from the city of New York, who from first to last lias contributed more than half the means necessary to build and complete the church pioparty in its present form. "This excellent christian lady, though an entire stranger to every one of us, became interested in Albert Lea and this church through her Pastor, and sent us $3,000 for the church building and grounds, .'$2,000 towards building the Manse, and less than two years ago sent us S50() more to assist in the erection of our chapel, besides at one time a handsome donation for our Sabbath School Library. Altogether we have received from her nearly sJCi.OOO. It is her munificence which, under God, has raised up and established this church. Let us record her name in our hearts with most aii'ectionate remembrance, and in our prayers let us seek for the blessings of tiod upon one through whose beneficence so great blessings have come upon .us. This church has been raised up and fostered by Mary Gelston; let it be her everlasting memorial. Let it tell to the end of time what well directed giving can accomplish. And may God grant that her unselfish devotion to the cause of Christ, and her liberal spirit in giving to build up the church, a church she has uever seen - may be imitated by the prople she has blessed - by all of us upon whom the blessing has come."

Mrs. Armstrong and Clarence Wedge gave the land. The pulpit was presented by Mr. Tuttle, the bell by Mr. Darlington of Pittsburg. The Bible and hymn books, to the value of Sl(M), were presented by Mr Deiiney of Pittsburg. H. D. Brown presented a three years' policy of insurance on the church for 85,000, at a net cost of S75.

For nine months after the church was organized, it was supplied with preaching by different ministers. Among these were Rev. Charles Thayer, of Farmington, Kev. John L. Gaj.e, of Kasson, and Rev. R. B. Abbott, who first preached on the 21st of March, 1809. He soon received a formal call, and removed here from St. Paul in July. On the 15th of August the church was dedicated in the morning, and the pastor was installed in the evening. The seimon was preached by Rev. W. S. Wilson, of Owatonna, the charge to the Pastor was given by Rev. D. C. Lyon, and the charge to the people by Dr. Paxton.

The resident membership at this time consisted -of eighteen persons, as follows: - Mr. and Mrs. Brownsill, Mr. and Mrs. C. B. Kellar, Mr. and Mrs. Eaton, INIrs. Robinson, Mrs. Armstrong, Mrs. Barden, Mr. Samuel Thompson, Mrs. Woodruff, Mrs. Ruble, Mr. and Mrs. Squier, Mr. Batchelder, Mrs. Buell, Mr. Clarence Wedge, and Mr. Sherwood.

Up to the centennial year, when Mr. Abbott preached a historical sermon, from which many of tlie.se facts were gathered, there had been a total number received into the church of two hundred and sixty-four. .

The Sabbath School was at first commenced as a union one, and although there have been losses by detachments going to make up other schools, it has kept on growing.

There are connected with the Sunday school work, half a dozen missi<m schools, with an aggregate attendance of two hundred and fifty children.

In 1874, the church undertook the erection of a chapel, which was felt to be a necessity, and here that estimable wc^mau, the fast friend of the church. Miss Gelston, did not fail tliem, for she sent $500, and, with another $500 added, it was completed.

Rev. Mr. Abbott has been the pastor since his installation. The church may be siiid to be in a flourishing condition, with a good house of worship, and a commodious Manse adjoining.

The Methodist Episcopal Church. - Like the most of the frontier regions, this vicinity early received the attention of the itinerant Methodist preacher. Lsaac W. McEeynohls, who was a local preacher, but had never been ordained, came here and took a farm, a mile west of the village, in 1856. He was born in North Carolina, in 180r>. He came here in the fall of the year, and the next season went l)ack and brought his family, in an ox-team. Mr. Mo Reynolds, it is likely, was the first to hold religious services in the county, which he did in Shell Rock, in the fall of 185fi. Rev. Mr. Wilson was aLso at Shell Kock several times, at the house of brother Scott. Preaching was also done near the State line, at Gordousville, and a class was formed, with Jacob Beighley as leader; also at Bear Lake and other places, where there was an opportunity. The very first in Albert Lea must have been at the house of George Ruble, near the saw-mill. Mr. Gates, with his family, attended in an ox-team. Mr. McReynolds was one year in the employ of the conference as a supply, which must have been the conference year of 18.'i8. Thomas Kirkpatrick was the Presiding Elder. Classes were formed where it seemed to be feasible, at Bear Lake, Rice Lake, Glendale; and although there was a stated supply at Geneva, no class was organized there. la Albert Lea there was occasional preaching. Several more or less promising organizations were formed, but from various reasons they failed to be sustained. There was a kind of floating population; restive individuals, who would remain a certain time and then push on west. Regular supplies were started several times by the conference. Rev. Mr. Watson, Rev. John Garner, and perhaps . one or two more, but the ground was either stony or was preoccupied.

One year, Mr. McReynolds told the conference that if they would send a man who had no family, he would board him for a year without cost, and I. W. W. Wright was sent; but, after a time, finding his affinity, he got married, and went to keeping house. The young man soon preached the schoolhouse, where the meetings were held, empty. A few of the heads of families, as a matter of duty, kept on attending, luit it terminated in a collajise of the Methodist interest here. It is told that on one occasion this ecclesiastical luminnary announced, among other things, that Abraham was the first one to proclaim that the universe was governed by one God. But to the young man's credit, it should be stated that, having accepted what he considered a call to preach, he also had the good sense to stop preaching in obedience to a like mandate, which is sometimes all unheeded.

When Mr. McReynolds had finished his conference work, he took charge of the schoi>l in tlie schoolhouse, and really made a good success of it.

When the Mothodist influence waned as above related, the Congregational predominated, and it finally became denominational and was at last merged into the Presbyterian, and is stiJl in existence, one of the largest and most flourishing in town.

In February, 1878, Rev. Robert Fobes, of Waseca, who had been an agent of Hamline University, but at that time had no charge, came down here to look over the sitiiation, and he started out in a business way; went and secured the use of the Court House, and then canvassed the the village for an audience; the result was he got a good hearing, and the next week he went around again drumming up delinquents, telling them to come round and listen to the best seimon they ever heard.

This went on for some time. He did preach good sermons, and at last came to the subject of a regular church organization, and one Sunday, invited those who would join, to rise, and sixteen responded to the invitation. Two weeks from that time was set for the regular organization. When the time came, about half of the numlier had weakened and the reverend gentlemen was a good deal cast down, and hesitated as to what he should do. He consultetl Mi'. J. H. Parker, wlio declined to advise either pro or con, but Mrs. Parker happened along while they were talking it over. Mr. Fobes asked her what he had better do? She replied: "If there is ever going to be a Methodist Church in Albert Lea, now is the time to start it; you came down for that purpose and you better go on and organize Jim and I, if nobody else is present!" That settled it. The church was duly organized witli nine members. The liRt is mislaid, but from memory there were: Mr. J. H. Parker and bis wife Mary J. Parker; Mr. and Mrs. Frank Tiltou, C. B. Parkinson, Mr. .T. W. Abbott, Mr. and Mrs. J. M. Bond, and Peter Nelson. Eddie Nelson had applied to join as a probationer l)efore the church was formed.

While Rev. Robert Fobes was here the Sunday school that is still in existence, was started, and it has kept up to a good state of efficiency ever since.

In October, 1878, Rev. .J. W. Klepper was assigned here by the conference, and building operations were soon commenced. A lot was purchased at a cost of $100. about one third of its market value, and the church was buijt at a cost of . '#1,700. The business men and citizens generally, took hold and did what they could. The sum of $200 was borrowed from the church extension fund, and a like sum was ulso donated from that fund. Mr. Klepper remained two years, when Mr. Henry Frank was stationed here and still remains. He camo from Kansas in October 1881. He formerly resided in Chicago.

In October, 1881, Mr. Frank started an eight page four column illustrated paper, called the "Church Visitor," intending it for a speciol purpose and continued it up to July, 1882.

The Sunday school is in a good condition under Mr. J. H. Parker as superintendent, and has an enrollment of more than one hundred, and a large average attendance.